IP management for outbound e-mails

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for managing the IP addresses of outbound e-mail messages based on sender reputation. A range of reputation scores is divided into a number of reputation segments, each covering a span of the reputation scores. The available IP addresses are distributed evenly among the reputation segments. The span of reputation scores for each of the reputation segments may be periodically adjusted based on historical data regarding a volume of e-mail messages sent by sender reputation score. In order to select a source IP address for a particular outbound e-mail message, the reputation segment encompassing a sender reputation score regarding the sender of the e-mail message is determined. An IP address is selected from the IP addresses assigned to the reputation segment and returned to be utilized as the source IP address in sending the outbound e-mail message.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for managing Internet protocol (“IP”) addresses utilized for sending outbound e-mail messages, the system comprising:
 one or more computer systems configured to
 divide a range of reputation scores into a plurality of reputation segments, wherein individual reputation segments comprise a span of reputation scores, 
 assign a number of IP addresses from a pool of IP addresses to the plurality of reputation segments, 
 receive a sender reputation score regarding a sender of an outbound e-mail message and a content score based upon content in the outbound e-mail message, 
 identify a reputation segment in the plurality of reputation segments having a span of reputation scores encompassing a lesser of the received sender reputation score or the received content score, 
 select an IP address from the IP addresses assigned to the identified reputation segment as a source IP address for the outbound e-mail message, and 
 cause the selected IP address to be utilized when sending the outbound e-mail message. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the range of reputation scores is divided into a plurality of reputation segments having equal spans of reputation scores. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the span of reputation scores of one or more of the plurality of reputation segments is periodically adjusted based on historical data regarding a volume of e-mail messages sent by sender reputation score. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer systems are further configured to season a newly added IP address to the pool of IP addresses by limiting a volume of e-mail messages sent with the newly added IP address as a source address based on an in-service date of the newly added IP address. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein selecting an IP address from the IP addresses assigned to the identified reputation segment comprises selecting a next IP address from the pool of IP addresses assigned to the identified reputation segment using a round-robin algorithm. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein an equal number of IP addresses from the pool of IP addresses is assigned to the plurality of reputation segments. 
     
     
       7. A computer-implemented method for selecting an Internet Protocol (“IP”) address associated with sending an outbound e-mail message, comprising:
 dividing a range of reputation scores into a plurality of reputation segments, the reputation segments comprising a span of reputation scores; 
 assigning a number of IP addresses from a pool of IP addresses to the plurality of reputation segments; 
 based upon a sender reputation score regarding a sender of the outbound e-mail message, identifying a reputation segment in the plurality of reputation segments having the span of reputation scores encompassing the received sender reputation score; and 
 selecting an IP address from the IP addresses assigned to the identified reputation segment to be utilized as a source IP address in sending the outbound e-mail message. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein an equal number of IP addresses from a pool of IP addresses is assigned to the plurality of reputation segments. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein identifying a reputation segment comprises identifying a reputation segment in the plurality of reputation segments having a span of reputation scores encompassing a lesser of the received sender reputation score and a received content score based upon content in the outbound e-mail message. 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein selecting an IP address from the IP addresses assigned to the identified reputation segment comprises selecting a next IP address from the pool of IP addresses assigned to the identified reputation segment using a round-robin algorithm. 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , further comprising seasoning a newly added IP address to the pool of IP addresses by limiting a volume of e-mail messages sent with the newly added IP address as a source address based on an in-service date of the newly added IP address indicating when the newly added IP address was added to the pool of IP addresses. 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the range of reputation scores is initially divided into a plurality of reputation segments having equal spans of reputation scores. 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the span of reputation scores of one or more of the plurality of reputation segments is periodically adjusted based on historical data regarding a volume of e-mail messages sent by sender reputation score. 
     
     
       14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 divide a range of reputation scores into a plurality of reputation segments, the reputation segments comprising a span of reputation scores; 
 assign a number of IP addresses from a pool of IP addresses to the plurality of reputation segments; 
 determine a reputation segment in the plurality of reputation segments having a span of reputation scores encompassing a sender reputation score associated with a sender of an outbound message; and 
 select an IP address from the IP addresses assigned to the reputation segment to be utilized as a source IP address in sending the outbound message. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein an equal number of IP addresses from the pool of IP addresses is assigned to the plurality of reputation segments. 
     
     
       16. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein determining the reputation segment comprises determining the reputation segment in the plurality of reputation segments having a span of reputation scores encompassing a lesser of the received sender reputation score and a received content score based upon content of the outbound message. 
     
     
       17. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the range of reputation scores is initially divided into a plurality of reputation segments having equal spans of reputation scores. 
     
     
       18. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the span of reputation scores of one or more of the plurality of reputation segments is periodically adjusted based on historical data regarding a volume of messages sent by sender reputation score. 
     
     
       19. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein selecting the IP address from the IP addresses assigned to the reputation segment comprises selecting a next IP address from the IP addresses assigned to the reputation segment using a round-robin algorithm. 
     
     
       20. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause the computer to:
 determine whether the selected IP address is being seasoned; 
 upon determining that the selected IP address is being seasoned, calculate a selection probability for the selected IP address based upon an in-service date of the IP address; 
 determine whether the selected IP address is to be utilized as the source address for the outbound message based on the calculated selection probability; 
 upon determining that the selected IP address is to be utilized as the source address, return the selected IP address; and 
 upon determining that the selected IP address is not to be utilized as the source address, selecting a next IP address from the IP addresses assigned to the reputation segment based on the round-robin algorithm.